Q & A: Talking with Johnny Rzeznik

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The Goo Goo Dolls' front man is a judge on the new Fox reality show The Next Great American Band. The Goos' new album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1, is out on Nov. 13.

How big an accomplishment is the Greatest Hits CD for you and the band?
It's a shocking thing for us because we didn't realize we had 12 Top 10 hits. We sort of looked up a few months ago and thought, Wow, it's been 12 years. We've done pretty well for ourselves.

What inspires your writing?
I have this morbid fascination with being completely alienated from everybody, and a lot of the time I really do feel that way.

Why did you decide to participate in The Next Great American Band?
They told me that I could give my honest opinion, and it's real bands who get to play original music, which is really important. It's nice to see bands you could see at a bar finally get a chance.

How do you respond when people tell you that you look like Jon Bon Jovi?
I say I had the haircut before he did. There are worse people they could say I look like. They could say I look like Meatloaf.